A Consett barmaid found hanged in woodland gave ‘no indication’ she planned to take her own life.

An inquest at County Durham and Darlington Coroner’s Court, in Crook, on Thursday heard Ashleigh Brolly was founded hanged in woodland near Leadgate on February 29.

The 18-year-old had finished working her shift at the Wheatsheaf Inn, in Consett , and joined her family for a drink in the bar before meeting friends at the Golden Lion pub for more drinks on February 28.

She said goodbye to her friends at around midnight, telling a pal she was going to see if she could find a party to go to.

The next morning a passer-by spotted her body while on her way to work.

Detective Sergeant Scott Jameson, of Stanley CID, said: “There was absolutely no indication whatsoever, there had never been any indication that she would do this sort of thing or harm herself in anyway.”

Senior coroner Andrew Tweddle told the inquest there was no third party involvement or suspicious circumstances surrounding her death.

Police searched Ashleigh’s room and laptop for a suicide note but were unable to access her iPhone which was locked.

Mr Tweddle said the teenager’s decision to take her own life came “out of the blue” to family and friends as he reached a conclusion of suicide.

He added said: “Having done this job for many, many years now, quite often there are times when it is not unexpected for someone to do something like this. Sometimes when you look at it you can see that people are upset, troubled, there is something going on but that doesn’t seem to be the case here.

“Nobody seemed to have any indication before.

“Whilst it is always a shock, it is even so in this case as there was no indication at all to give anyone any insight as to what was in her mind.”